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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · bound · hand · cue · hide · saw · perch · pass

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bound — obliged
  3. saw — the tool
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cue — for pool
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. cue — a hint
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bound — certain
  13. scale — size or range
  14. perch — the fish
  15. hand — in cards
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bound — tied together
  18. scale — in music
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. hand — help
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com